The 2026 NFL schedule features these must-see Sunday Night Football games

"Sunday Night Football" typically doesn't disappoint.

This season's "Sunday Night Football" schedule should hold that reputation, as it features a plethora of marquee contests.

The 2026 “Sunday Night Football” schedule actually isn't all on Sunday, as NBC will broadcast the 2026 NFL kickoff game on a Wednesday night when the Seattle Seahawks lift their Super Bowl 60 banner in a Super Bowl 60 rematch vs. the New England Patriots.

Elsewhere on the slate, NFL MVP Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams will travel to a hostile environment in Denver to face a fierce Broncos team in Week 3.

There’s even a “Sunday Night Football” game on Thanksgiving night when Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs meet Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills to renew their rivalry.

There are plenty of great “Sunday Night Football” matchups this season. USA TODAY Sports breaks down the top five SNF games in 2026:

Week 3 (Sun. Sept. 27): Los Angeles Rams at Denver Broncos

The Rams and Broncos each played in 2025 conference championship games. Both clubs have legitimate Super Bowl aspirations again this season.

Reigning MVP Matthew Stafford and the Rams high-powered offense will be put to the test on the road against 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain and a Broncos defense that’s led the NFL in sacks in each of the past two seasons.

This interconference battle will be a good early season measuring-stick game for both clubs.

Surtain and Riley Moss’ ability to cover Puka Nacua and Davante Adams are juicy matchups to watch on the outside.

Week 6 (Sun. Oct. 18): Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers

Micah Parsons registered three tackles, one sack and 10 pressures in an unsatisfying 40-40 tie versus the Cowboys last season. Can somebody win this time around (please)?

The Week 6 battle will be played at Lambeau Field this year. Parsons will be approximately 10 months removed from his season-ending knee injury when he meets his former team.

Assuming Parsons is good to go, this isn’t just a revenge game for him: new Cowboys edge rusher Rashan Gary gets to face the Packers after he was shipped out of Green Bay.

Both the Packers and Cowboys are expected to have proficient offenses, but defense might be the overwhelming storyline in this Sunday night Week 6 contest.

Week 7 (Sun. Oct. 25): Kansas City Chiefs at Seattle Seahawks

Super Bowl 60 MVP Kenneth Walker III has an opportunity at revenge in Week 7.

The Seahawks seemed comfortable with letting Walker walk in free agency after the running back helped the franchise win a Super Bowl title. The Seahawks wouldn’t have lifted a Lombardi Trophy without the Super Bowl MVP.

Walker is the first Super Bowl MVP to sign with a new team the following season since safety Dexter Jackson left the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the Arizona Cardinals in 2023.

Seattle used it first-round on running back Jadarian Price who will likely replace Walker in the Seahawks starting lineup while Zach Charbonnet recovers from a season-ending knee injury.

Week 12 (Thurs. Nov. 26): Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills

It wouldn’t be an NFL regular season without a Patrick Mahomes vs. Josh Allen bought. The Chiefs and Bills have played 10 times since 2020.

The game is technically on Thursday, but it’s a “Sunday Night Football” broadcast on NBC.

Mahomes is famously 1-5 versus the Bills in the regular season but he's 4-0 against Allen and Buffalo in the postseason. Could that trend continue in 2026?

Bills running back James Cook rushed for 114 yards and tight end Dalton Kincaid tallied six catches for 101 yards and a touchdown last year versus Kansas City. Kansas City is going to rely heavily on a rookie draft class of cornerback Mansoor Delane, defensive tackle Peter Woods and edge R Mason Thomas to help assist a defensive unit that took a step back a season ago.  

Week 13 (Sun. Dec. 6): Houston Texans at Pittsburgh Steelers

The Texans are scheduled to make a return trip to Acrisure Stadium after they ended Pittsburgh’s season in a 30-6 playoff rout last year. The Texans top-ranked defense sacked Aaron Rodgers four times, forced the quarterback into two turnovers and limited him to just a 50.8 passer rating.

Houston’s defensive performance overshadowed the team’s lackluster offensive showing.

The Steelers offense figures to be better with the addition of Michael Pittman Jr. and offensive-minded head coach Mike McCarthy, assuming Rodgers returns for a 22nd season. But the Texans defense returns most of its significant playmakers.

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.